These Hollow Words We Speak
by Sweet-As-Sin-Dark-As-Night
Summary: [OneShotItaOC]She is completely devoted to him, but when the cold truth about Uchiha Itachi gets out, her world is turned upsidedown.


**A/N: Dedicated to my friend, Kaye, who is the biggest Itachi fangirl the world has ever seen. Yes, I take dedications. Tell me which Naruto character you want it based on, the name you want the OC to be, the style (Friendship, romance, death/romance, ect.), and the point of view you want it from, such as first, second, or third. Hope you like it, Kaye-chan! Reviews, please! Haley would be proud…**

**Nani: What?**

**Hai: Yes**

"Itachi-kun?" My voice called tentatively, brows pulled together when I got only silence as a response. "Itachi-kun? Where are you?" There was a slight whine to my tone; I hated it when he did this to me!

'_Stupid, unreliable, Mr. I-So-Rock-Because-I'm-A-Top-Ranking-ANBU-Goon!' _I thought with a scowl, glaring around.

"Boo."

"EEP!" I screamed, whirling around as my hand flew out to slap whomever it was behind me. I blinked a few times before my mind caught up with my body. I was staring into his onyx eyes, with his hand gripping my wrist. He was smirking at me, as if he was actually _trying_ to make my heart jump out of my chest.

He rolled his eyes, dropping my hand. "Scardey-cat," he taunted. "You should have been able to sense my presence, Katsumi-san. Keep your guard up."

I rolled my eyes, playfully glaring at the older boy. "Well I apologize for not being a top-ranking ANBU Captain like _some_ people I know!" There was no mistaking my sarcastic tone.

And just like that, his face was carefully expressionless. Another thing I hated: How he always had a habit of changing the subject, just when I was beginning to get comfortable with the conversation. But I had no idea how drastic this little question he was preparing to ask me really was.

"Katsumi-san," he queried, wary. "If I were to leave, would you go with me?"

I tilted my head to the side, puzzled. "Nani?" I questioned. "Where are you going, Itachi-kun?"

He shook his head. "If I were to leave, you would go with me, right?"

I smiled at him, and his returning smile was weak, vapid, and gone a split second later. "Of course I would go with you, Itachi," I replied, brows pulling together slightly. "You know I would. I love you…"

His face was carefully blank again. "I love you, too." I couldn't help but feel the usual pain of his statement. Every time he told me he loved me, it was if they were mere words without a deeper meaning behind them. Just words to be spoken; just another wasted breath. This was what always seemed to bother me the most. He was so perfect, so… so un-_me_. He was much, much too good for me. I didn't deserve him. I was highly lucky to have him, though. He was beautiful, like all of the Uchiha's—well, _most_ of them—and I was _plain_. I wasn't abnormally strong like him, nor was I pretty or graceful or beautiful.

"Where are you going?" I asked again. "Why are you leaving?" A look flashed in his eyes, and indescribable look that I'd never seen in his perfect optics ever before. Was he… angry with me? With a second shake of his head, he turned his back on me.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Katsumi," he muttered blandly. I watched in horrified silence as he walked off. How it killed me to know that even though he said he loved me, even though he promised to care for and protect me always, he never seemed to mean it.

_**Three Days Later**_

The wind caught my hair as I twisted through the mass of bodies that were packed together in the tavern, an aggravated scowl forming on my features. _'Stupid, unreliable, ANBU goon…' _I thought, outraged that he'd stood me up once again. I'd sat in that tavern for two hours straight now, waiting for him to show up—which he never had. But it wasn't like it was the first time he'd done it…

I stormed through the streets of Konoha, my thoughts all one furious haze. _'What on earth could that baka be doing?! Why is he not here! I'm _so_ tired of this, Uchiha Itachi!' _My thoughts raged on as I ran over what I'd say to him when I finally got to the Uchiha Compound.

"Katsumi-san, are you all right?" Someone caught my arm, and I whirled around to glare at the person that was standing in my way of screaming at Itachi. It was Airashii, one of my old Genin teammates. Seeing my obvious rage, she huffed out a breath. "He ditched again, didn't he?"

"Hai!" I snapped, glaring. "So if you would so kindly _release_ me, Airashii-san, I can go and find out what his excuse was this time!" She eyed me for a moment, before shrugging it off and turning with a wave.

"N'kay. See ya, Katsumi-san." I watched her leave before turning back in the direction of the Uchiha Compound, my pulse rushing madly.

It was not long before I finally arrived, calling for someone—anyone. Silence was my only response, so I let myself in as I had done many times before. "Fugaku-sama? Mikoto-sama? Sasuke-kun? Itachi-san?" Silence was, again, my response. "Anyone?"

I scowled, my rage flaring higher in my chest as I stomped through the empty halls, calling their names. I finally came before the closed door of the main room, and a scent drifted from the room that made me want to retch. My rage quickly subsided, a new feeling replacing it. My conscience was screaming at me to turn and run, run as quickly and swiftly as I could. But before I could make my body respond to my mind, the door was opening.

Blood.

Lots.

Bodies.

Silence.

Eerie.

Death.

Everywhere.

"F-F-Fugaku-s-s-sama…?" I stammered, stumbling forwards. The moonlight shone silver through the window on the opposite wall, casting light in certain places—places where it was clear that the scent was blood.

"Fugaku-sama?! Mikoto-sama?!" I screamed, dropping to my knees and staring, at lack of action or words, at the blood that saturated their bodies. I brushed Mikoto's raven hair from her face, tears streaming down my face. Turning next to her husband, I choked once more on my own tears. "What happened to you…?" I whispered to them, not wanting to believe that they were dead. "What happened…?"

"Katsumi-san…" I stared at Fugaku, bewildered, before I realized that the voice had come from somewhere around me, from somewhere in the shadows. The voice was familiar. Itachi…

I looked up, my eyes wild in fear as I jumped to my feet and ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck. "Oh, Itachi! You're alive!" I sighed, not realizing the obvious. "What happened? Who killed them? Why? Where is Sasuke-kun?"

He caught me before my arms could reach his neck, before I could hug him. His face was blank, no longer with that caution that he had portrayed for the last few weeks. "Sasuke ran into the woods," he replied, avoiding the other questions.

I stared at him, at the katana on his back and then to his beautifully cold face.

"Itachi…" I whispered. "You… Why…?"

Pain.

Sorrow.

Fear.

Hate.

Despising.

Loathing.

Love.

He grabbed my wrist, jerking me forwards so I was pressed against his chest. I avoided his eyes, but it was futile. He lifted my chin to meet his eyes, but surprisingly I felt no rush of fear or pain. His eyes were still the crimson Sharingan, but he was not using them against me.

"Will you leave with me, Katsumi?" he asked quietly, gripping my wrists tighter and tighter with every passing second.

I stared at him with teary eyes. "Why? You're a killer. I will not follow in that fate, Itachi…" I hated this. I could slowly feel myself tearing my own heart in two.

"I love you." Once again, his words were empty. "Do you love me?" Crimson gaze was boring into me. It was impossible to think clearly under that gaze.

"…Y…Yes…" I finally said, my voice a hushed whisper.

"Then you will come with me." His tone hinted that there were no alternative options available. He moved before I even saw him. Something cold—and yet oddly warm at the same time—feathered across my collarbone, and blackness slowly crept into my vision. He fixed my arms around his neck, holding me in his arms bridal-style.

I lost.

I was leaving my future behind.

I was a criminal associate.

I had no choice.

Itachi had won again.

He was stronger.

Emotionally.

Physically.

I would never be able to escape now.

Never.

He was a killer.

And I loved him.


End file.
